Contents
- Hook rate relates three-second plays to the number of impressions: it measures the hook, nothing else.
- A low hook rate signals an opening problem; a good hook rate with a poor ThruPlay signals a development problem.
- It's not a native column: it's calculated.
Definition
The hook rate measures the proportion of displays that led to a play of at least three seconds.
Formula
Hook rate = 3-second video plays divided by impressions, times one hundred.
Worked example
Two creatives show the same cost per result. The first has a hook rate of 28% and a ThruPlay rate of 4%; the second 11% and 9%. The first hooks and loses, the second doesn't hook but convinces those it holds. The fixes to make are opposite.
Orders of magnitude
The values observed depend heavily on placement: full-screen formats mechanically earn higher hook rates than feed formats. Compare at equal placement.
The most common mistakes
- Comparing hook rates across different placements. The play mode isn't the same.
- Reading it alone. It says nothing about the rest of the video or the conversion.
- Optimizing the hook at the expense of relevance. A spectacular but off-topic opening attracts an audience that won't convert.
Where to find the metric
It's not a native Meta column: you have to create a custom metric, or divide 3-second video plays by impressions.
Frequently asked questions
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